In Shambles
by DangoCorn
Summary: "Nami-ya," whispered Law, tightening his embrace around the tearful navigator, "Allow me to be your strength."
1. Chapter 1

**HI 8D!**

 **PSHEWWWW. I've been thinking about writing a LawNa story for a while now and, this is what I settled on writing about. Their relationship is gonna be progressing gradually throughout the story o:! And for some reason, writing a summary different than the current one just didn't seem right. Like actually summarizing the plot 8). Putting a scene that will be happening in future chapters seemed like the right thing to do. SO, I am sorry the plot isn't very clear D8, but if you decide to read on, you'll get the main idea!**

 _ **I don't own the display picture**_ **c:**

 **THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT WITH ME ;D!**

 **Shinsekai = New World**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

Nami sat quietly in front of the nine beds in front of her, desperately trying to steady her quivering legs. She rarely set foot into the boys' quarters, however, this time it was an exception. She listened to the synced breathing of her soundly sleeping nakama, dreading the days to come without having them around.

"Nami-ya," Law said, who was sitting at the desk near the beds. Nami jolted her head up. She looked up at him and shook her head, a bit dazed.

"Huh?" she replied, still distracted by her constantly nagging worries."What is it?"

Law turned his chair towards her, the creaking sound making her wince. "I won't be done until morning. You might as well get the sleep you need."

The navigator smiled halfheartedly, as if what the surgeon was saying was a practical joke. "Get some sleep, huh… But um… I'm sure things'll turn out just fine soon enough. There's nothing to worry about, ne? They'll wake up.."

...

 **Earlier that day**

Nami heard the infamous loud laugh of her captain coming from the upper deck. At first, she strove to ignore it, though her attempts were washed down the drain, as they always were. With gritted teeth, the navigator shoved the map room door open and scanned the deck for Luffy. The raged look melted off her face as she noticed her nakama draped across the deck, not a single one of them conscious. She felt her insides turn.

"Luffy…?" she called out, taking a few steps towards her captain, who wasn't at all laughing. He wasn't moving, and she could scarcely see his chest rising and falling as he lay asleep on the grassy ground. With a racing heart, she bent down and gently placed her ear on his chest. Nami felt herself fall limp in relief when she heard his steady heartbeats. An irritable sigh escaped her.

"Alright, knock it off," she snapped, giving the rubber boy multiple slaps on the face, but to no avail. "Ne, Luffy, get up! By now you should know I loathe these kinda jokes you pull."

In normal everyday affairs, her captain wouldn't be able to suppress his laughs. Yet, no matter how many threats and offers the navigator was giving him, this time, he didn't respond at all. Slowly, she felt her breaths become unstable, but she knew it was far too early to start panicking. She took a deep breath before pushing herself off the ground and turning to go to the only other person on the ship.

"Law?" Nami said, knocking on the door of the guestroom. Gently, she pushed the door open and poked her head in, failing to spot the warlord. Fear washed over her as she thought of the possibility of him having lost consciousness as well. But as soon as she stepped in, she noticed the door to the washroom creak open and the surgeon stepped into the room with dripping wet hair. Her tensed shoulders relaxed. Never in her life had she expected that seeing their ally alive and well would be such a relief.

"Ah, Nami-ya," he said, gently rubbing his hair dry. "Trouble with Caesar?"

Nami tightened her grip on the doorknob. "Eh…No. My nakama…something's wrong. I need your help!"

…

"How is it that nothing's wrong?!" Nami demanded irritably, rumpling her bangs in frustration. The surgeon patiently repeated what he had understood from giving each of the Straw hats a checkup.

"It is quite simply that they are all in a deep sleep," Law explained, taking out yet another book from the library shelves. "There are absolutely no symptoms that show any illnesses or otherwise. I'm suspecting it may be the doing of a devil fruit user or an occurrence existing only in the New World."

"And how in the hell do you suppose we'll figure it out?" the navigator snapped, her temper starting to rub off on the warlord. Law slammed the book shut and steered his eyes to Nami's.

"Perhaps you could help by looking through Nico-ya's collection of books," he said, trying to restrain his impatience. He turned to grab a stack of papers piled atop the library desk before saying, "If you would allow me to continue my part of the job, I would appreciate that."

* * *

It was concluded that the Straw hats were in a deep, deep coma.

The navigator refused to sleep before going through at least a quarter of Robin's book collection before the day was over, but despite her effort, she was unable to find any sign of what had happened. She had fallen asleep quite uncomfortably on the library table that night.

As the dark sky of the night lightened to pale blue, Nami's eyes fluttered open. It took them a while to adjust to the sunlight shining in through the windows, but as soon as they did, Nami's eyes caught the title of a book several shelves above the one she had been going through the night before. The navigator tilted her head to get a better view of what it said.

" _New…World,_ " she made out the title, squinting to get the last word right, " _Phenomena."_

"Aha!" Nami yelped, rocketing off the library chair and dashing towards the shelves. A bit clumsily, the navigator took off her sandals and began climbing up to reach the book. At that moment, she envied Robin for her ability. But she did trust Franky's good carpentry and that she wouldn't come crashing down, so she proceeded with climbing. As she finally reached the shelves and grabbed the book, the door of the library creaked open.

"What in the world..." Law muttered as he stared at the awkwardly descending navigator.

"Catch," she ordered, throwing the book towards the confused surgeon. He caught it; however, it was soon snatched away from him by Nami once she landed safely on the ground. Her eyes were full of ambition as she flipped through the book, praying she would find something that could be of some help. Her hope began fading as she approached the last few chapters, not having found any useful facts or information.

"Wait," ordered Law, who had been keeping his eye on the pages as well. Nami stopped flipping through the pages, allowing him to return to the previous chapter she had gone through too hastily. The navigator's eyes grew twice their size as she read the title of the twenty-seventh chapter.

" _The Slumber of Shinsekai_ ," she read, putting it on the library table and sitting down. Law stood next to her, quietly scanning what it said. The book explained the following:

The Slumber of Shinsekai is an occurrence that happens once every two decades, and is only found in the New World. It is a sudden, drastic change in the climate that lasts a maximum of a minute, producing an extremely foggy atmosphere, and leaving whoever experiences it unconscious. The cause and remedy for it are currently unidentified.

"Every two fucking _decades_?!" Nami exclaimed, gripping the pages so firmly it made a noticeable dent."No remedy?... This is bullshit!"

The surgeon averted his eyes from the book, seeming to be in deep thought. As Nami proceeded with muttering incoherent complaints, Law summed up the situation. "Assuming this is the cause of what's happened, the reason why we weren't affected by it was due to us not being outside."

Nami tried getting her bearings. She knew complaining and protesting was going to get neither her nor Law anywhere. "How are they gonna get by if they're unconscious?"

"Your little raccoon doctor has possibly every medical device you might require throughout your voyage," Law explained as he readjusted the position of his sword. "I'll set everything up properly so they can receive the foods and nutrition their bodies will need until they wake up."

"Chopper," Nami corrected, slamming the book shut and getting up. She turned towards the surgeon. "His name is Chopper, and he's a reindeer."

Law opened the library door; ignoring the piece of information she had enlightened him with. "For now, we can't head to Dressrosa. With everyone unconscious, including Caesar, we can't proceed with the plan. Steer the ship to the next nearest island."

Directly after Nami managed to steer the ship into the right direction, she took heavy steps towards the boys' quarters, where Law had set up the proper beds and apparatus. The navigator closed the door after her and clawed it in frustration. She felt something of great heaviness weigh down her heart as she looked at the helpless bodies of her nakama.

"Stupid fate," she whispered to herself, feeling the ever so familiar burning sensation in her eyes. "We just had to be the ones you screwed with."

...

 **Presently**

"There's nothing to worry about, ne? They'll wake up," Nami uttered, in attempt to reassure herself. Though her words seemed hopeful, her tone said otherwise. The clock hanging on the wall struck twelve, the sound of it making her think of how proud Franky had been after setting it up in the boys' quarters. Despite everyone complaining about how it constantly woke them up, the navigator suspected they found it to be a friendly addition to their room. She steered her eyes to the surgeon, who was bent over the desk, looking into a microscope. He had taken samples of everyone's sweat and blood to thoroughly study them.

"This is going to take a while," he informed her, sitting back in his chair and jotting down several notes. The navigator had never seen the medical side of their ally, and found it strangely calming to watch him work. She rested her head against the wooden wall, refusing to retire to the solitary girls' quarters she now dreaded.

"I don't care," she told him simply, exhaling wearily. "I'd rather stay here."

Law glanced at the navigator briefly before returning to switching the samples. "It's up to you."

"I'm counting on you," was the last thing she muttered before dozing off.


	2. Chapter 2

**I THANK YOU ALL GREATLY FOR THE SUPPORT 8D!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

"We're out of rice so all we have for breakfast is sandwiches. It'd be nice if you could suck it up and eat it anyway," Nami said as she entered the guestroom next morning, not bothering to give the door a knock or two. She noted that the surgeon hadn't woken up yet, so, after placing the plate on the desk, she tiptoed towards him and gave him a gentle nudge. He didn't stir.

"Law?" she whispered, realizing that it was quite unusual for him to stay asleep that late in the morning. She was cast with a feeling of dread, sensing her panic rise up to her throat. With a childish squeak, Nami grabbed the surgeon's shoulders and gave him vigorous shakes.

"Law?! Law…ne, Law, wake up!" she begged, her voice dripping with agitation. "For the sake of my sanity you had better not leave me alone, you hear me?!"

Law's eyes opened and maneuvered towards Nami's before he cracked a small, amused smile. "I see you're in distress, Nami-ya."

The navigator let go of his shoulders and backed away, feeling betrayed. A crease appeared between her eyes as she felt anger buildup in her cheeks. "You were awake?!"

"Perhaps," he said, padding down his hair and getting up.

"What a jackass," she whispered, roughly throwing his recently washed clothes at him. The surgeon caught them before they had the chance to land on his drowsy face.

While the surgeon took his time changing, Nami made her way to the boys' quarters. She felt frustrated with herself for being too paranoid, and was quick to make herself comfortable by her captain's bed. His breathing was very steady; his chest rising and falling as though he was merely taking an afternoon nap. She rested her chin on the palm of her hand and gave his cheek a soft poke.

"Come on, Luffy," she pressed, "Wake up."

Law stepped into the room and, noticing the delicate state of the navigator, quietly made his way to the desk. The moment Nami heard the chair's creek; she rocketed off the floor and hurriedly rubbed her damp eyes dry.

"Gee, when'd you get in here?" she snapped, a bit shaken at the intrusion. Law simply proceeded with settling down and taking out his notes, thinking it was best to momentarily ignore the navigator, as he had work to be taken care of.

Nami had already plunked down again by her captain, quietly fiddling with his straw hat. However, she soon got up, put her captain's hat near his head and awkwardly stood atop the chair she'd been sitting on. She placed her hands on her hips, an overly ambitious and hopeful look engraved on her features. She then drew in a deep breath before shouting with all her might, "Oh, look! There's a _**beautiful**_ lady _**swordsman**_ with lots of _**meat**_ outside!"

The surgeon's face twisted into a mortified look. "What?"

"Meat! Swordsman! Beautiful lady!" she yelled again, refusing to give up. "Come on you _morons_ , get the fuck up!"

"Good God," Law whispered, his head falling forward into his hand. The navigator's lower lip protruded into an irritable pout as she got down from the chair, heaving a weary sigh.

"According to Usopp's logic, that should've worked," she explained in annoyance to the surgeon, who had a hopeless look etched on his face. The hopefulness remained in the navigator's eyes, however her energy subsided as she grabbed the breakfast plate she had prepared for him and, placing it on the desk, briefly lost her balance and her elbow slammed into his head, ruffling his hair in the process.

An irritable _tch_ immediately escaped him.

"Eh, gomen-" she began, but paused as she noted how irked he had gotten. Nami raised a curious eyebrow, surprised as to how sensitive their ally was to such a mere incident.

"You don't like your hair to be ruffled?" she asked, a hint if amusement in her tone.

"I do not," he informed her rather firmly, staring at the sandwich distastefully. A smirk grew on the navigator's face as she slowly guided her wiggling fingers towards his hair.

"Nami-ya," Law warned, gripping the pencil in his hand so firmly it almost broke, "do not touch me."

"O-Oi!" Law shrieked as she attacked his hair the moment he took his eyes off her, tousling it enthusiastically. The surgeon pushed the chair he was sitting on away from the desk, in attempt to get away from her, only to end up more vulnerable. The navigator's laugh echoed throughout the ship as she watched the surgeon's tense face turn from irritable to dangerously frightening.

"Room!" the surgeon finally managed to spread out his arm, successfully making a room and teleporting himself away from Nami. He landed on the Sunny's deck, now the most exasperated look plastered on his face. He heaved in and out as he stood up.

"Never again," he muttered to himself, "am I taking off my hat."

As soon as he recovered from the navigator's attack by padding down his hair and retrieved his precious hat, the surgeon gritted his teeth and opened the door to the boys' quarters. Nami raised her hands in surrender.

"Sorry, I sorta needed that laugh," Nami explained, though her voice showed no regret.

"Then it would be appreciated if you could find something other than me to amuse you," he replied, clear annoyance in his voice. He noticed she now had Luffy's straw hat snuggly placed on her head, her eyes lacking the enjoyment they formerly had. Law turned his gaze to the desk, where he had everything set up for research. He hadn't found anything peculiar with the samples, which he knew would distress the navigator even more. Not to mention that if he didn't find a cure for them sooner, Doflamingo would start questioning their agreement. Time was slipping through the surgeon's fingers, giving him more of a reason not to get distracted. He turned to face Nami, who appeared to be mentally absent.

"I have a lot to work on," he told her, gesturing towards her sleeping nakama. "After breakfast, it'd be a good idea if you could give Nico-ya's books another look."

Nami replied with a subtle nod. She looked up and raised a curious brow. "Hmm? So I take it you're gonna eat the sandwich?"

The surgeon glanced at the sandwich, momentarily holding his breath before saying, "Perhaps with a cup of coffee."

Though it was small, Nami managed to smile. "Heh, so you're a coffee person. I think I can manage to make some, though it won't be half as good as Sanji-kun's."

"As long as it can keep me from tasting the bread, it'll do the job," he muttered, settling down at the desk. Nami pushed herself off the floor and tugged at Luffy's straw hat, attempting to act a little cheery as her captain would have wanted her to.

"Coming right up!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The navigator had fallen asleep that night by Chopper's bed when she attempted to take his hat off as instructed by the surgeon, who was saying that the heat could have a negative effect on the little reindeer. She woke up to the sound of a den-den mushi coming from outside the boys' quarters, which took her by surprise, as not only did it not sound like the Strawhat's den-den mushi, but it was also exceptionally early in the morning. She lazily rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and poked her head through the opened gap in the door. Her eyes settled on Law, who she noticed was leaning against the railing, a den-den mushi in his hand. Whoever was on the other side finally picked up, causing the surgeon to lift his head. "Penguin?" he said.

"Ehh…" the voice on the other side complained sleepily, "Captain?"

"Is everything alright where you are?" the surgeon asked. Penguin's previously drowsy voice seemed to perk up at hearing his captain's question.

"You haven't called in days! But no worries, everything's fine," he reassured, "Bepo's been whining way too much about your absence. Heh…Frankly, we miss your grumpy presence, Capt."

Law shifted in his position before putting the speaker back to his mouth. The navigator couldn't be sure, but she thought she had caught a hint of a smile on her ally's face at hearing his nakama's words. "Caesar, Mugiwara-ya and seven others of his nakama are unconscious."

"Huh?! What happened?" Penguin inquired.

"If I don't manage to get them up in the next few days, I'll have to resort to my last method. We're already a few days late from handing in Caesar and Doflamingo isn't going to stay patient. But until then, make sure you stay out of sight. I don't want you to have to move from Zoe."

"You got it," Penguin affirmed enthusiastically. Just then a loud blast came from the other side of the den-den mushi, followed by a distressed cry. The surgeon pushed himself away from the railing and practically stuck the speaker to his mouth.

"Oi, Penguin!" he yelled, "What happened?!"

"Captain, we-" the voice of Penguin came out panicked, but was soon cut off as the line went dead. Law clutched the den-den mushi so tightly his hand shook. He hung up and redialed, but the den-den mushi kept ringing to no avail. The navigator had been holding her breath from the second she heard the explosion coming from the den-den mushi. Though reluctantly, she squeezed herself out of the boys' room and took cautious steps towards the distressed surgeon.

"Pick up you idiots!" he muttered as he dialed once more, ending with the same infuriating result. Nami wasn't sure whether it was wise to interfere, but she somehow felt obliged to. With a grit of his teeth, the surgeon slammed the den-den mushi into the deck. He hadn't noticed the arrival of the navigator until he turned around, his face subconsciously turning sullen. He clutched his sword before hastily steering around the navigator.

"Law-" she began, but was quickly cut off by a harsh slam of the guestroom door.

…..

"Come on, Sanji-kun, that couldn't have been the last batch of rice…" the navigator argued as she made a mess of the kitchen trying to find a spare bag of rice the cook might have saved. Loud slams of cabinets and irritable curses were heard throughout the ship. Just as Nami was about to give up the search, she caught a glimpse of a cloth bag peaking from behind a big sack of flour at the back corner of one of the cupboards. Her face immediately brightened as she struggled to pull it out. The navigator ripped the bag open and poured the rice in a pan, determined to provide the surgeon with a good meal that day, seeing that he had been working late for the sake of her nakama; she had to return the favor. And now, she wasn't the only one worried sick about her crew. His situation was just as bad as hers.

But there was one, small problem. The navigator couldn't for the _life_ of her make a stable looking onigiri. The rice kept sticking to her hands, and to top it off, she was unable to actually hide the filling inside the ball of rice. So, she ended up with definitely-not-triangular-but-edible rice balls. With a contended sigh, the navigator washed her hands from the excess rice and untied her hair from the ridiculously messy bun she had made to prevent any hairs from falling into her onigiri delicacy.

"Onigiri with a cup of coffee just for Mr. Grumpy!" Nami presented as she pushed the door of the guestroom open by giving it a good shove with her hip; as her hands were busy carrying two heavy trays. The surgeon was sitting at the side of the bed, staring thoughtfully at the wooden floor with a deep crease between his eyes. Nami placed the trays on the table that sat at the side of the room.

"You alright?" she asked. When she got no response, she bent down beside him and gave his shoulder a soft poke, which made him flinch and snap his head towards her.

"I am fine, Nami-ya," he retorted as he got off the bed, lightly running his fingers through his hair. "And I would appreciate it if you knocked on the door before coming in. This isn't the time to be having rice balls and coffee, there's work to be done."

It was subtle, and the navigator didn't quite grasp what it meant, but his words sent a queer sting to her heart. Her hands clung to the apron softly.

"Erm… right. Excuse me for the intrusion," she replied coolly. Nami turned on her heels and left the guestroom; the moment she stepped onto the deck, she felt a sharp gust of cool air. She tilted her head and quizzically scanned the sky.

"A storm," she mumbled, knitting her eyebrows. She untied her apron and clumsily threw it on the grassy deck, climbing up the mast hurriedly to pull up the sails. She would definitely be able to get the Sunny out of the storm on her own. By the time she took care of the sails, the storm had already begun to take form. Franky was normally the one at the helm, as it needed someone strong to move it easily, but Nami knew enough about the Sunny's mechanism to work it out. She drew in a deep breath and, using both her hands, grasped the helm.

"Alright, Nami," she said, speaking as if she were commanding her nakama, "Turn starboard and get the hell out of this place."

Turning starboard wasn't going as smoothly as she had hoped.

She had only managed to turn a quarter of the way, and the weather was already beginning to cause significant trouble. The wind was knocking sake barrels from one side of the deck to the other, and she could hear the faint sounds of the tangerine tree's branches whirling wildly. Much to Nami's dismay, the surgeon had sensed the strange wobbling of the ship and had stepped out of his room.

"Nami-ya!" he shouted, slamming the door behind him and taking in his surroundings, "Why didn't you say something?!"

"Be quiet, I can handle this!" she snapped, the struggle she was in massively contradicting her words. Law darted towards her and gently pulled her hands off the helm.

"This is no job for one person," he told her, squinting hard to try to prevent the pouring rain from getting into his eyes. "Now move over!"

The navigator took a step away from the helm and let him take over. It was, as he had said, not easy for one person to get out of a storm. But that didn't stop her from feeling exasperated at his interference. He was able to turn the helm twice as fast and easily as she had, and they were soon away from the harsh downpour and in the clear. Nami plunked down, hitting her rare end a little harder than she had intended to. She tried getting her bearings.

"I could have done it alone if you'd just stayed cooped up in that room of yours!" she insisted, breathing heavily. The surgeon turned towards her, a rather harsh look taking over his features.

"That was madness," he contended, "Why didn't you bother asking for help?!"

"For the last time, I could have done it on my own!"

The surgeon struggled to regain his composure. He wasn't intending on making the mistake of slipping and taking all his frustration out on her, as even he knew he had an unmanageable ill temper.

"Whatever. But for the sake of your nakama's safety, I advise you to let me know if this happens again."

It was true that the Strawhats often vexed Nami to the point where she felt like throwing herself off the ship, but never did they make her feel so useless. In spite of everything she tried to do to make things easier on the surgeon, he never made the effort to show any sign of gratitude. She had certainly gotten used to it as a child, and she never anticipated special thanks from her nakama; they depended on one another, and that was that. But _this_ man... This infuriating, moody, cheerless man had the ability to make her feel either immensely happy, or sheer lousy. It had been that way from the moment he stepped into the Strawhat's world. And it exasperated her more than anything in the world that she failed to fathom why he had such a strong impact on her feelings.

Nami pushed herself off the deck and began wringing out her dripping wet hair, fighting to keep her frustrating thoughts at the back of her mind. The surgeon had already disappeared into the guestroom again.

"Nami?!" a familiar voice cried out from the boys' quarters, making her jolt her head up. The navigator felt her jaw begin to quiver.

"L-Luffy?" she whispered as she let go of her hair and scrambled towards the room. She seized the handle and flung the door open, finding her captain lying down as peaceful as ever, not a single sign of him haven awakened. Nami blinked, completely puzzled.

"Eh?" she whispered in confusion. She made her way to the side of his bed and clutched his vest, giving it a gentle pull. "Luffy…?"

Instantaneously, the navigator found herself sliding down and hitting the hardwood floor in a harsh thud. She grasped her head in a sudden manner, feeling herself getting attacked by a powerful headache. Had she been imagining things?

"I could swear," she muttered to herself, feeling a silvery tear run down her face as she struggled to get off the floor. "I could swear I heard you calling my name…"

...

Nami was starting to feel a little deranged.

Her eyes were fixed on her captain's face as Law unwrapped the blood pressure monitor band from around her arm. Her headache had subdued, but her confusion had only risen. She knew it was nearly impossible for her to have heard Luffy's voice, but the fact that she thought she had worried her. And strangely enough, it also appeared to concern the surgeon.

"Your blood pressure is normal," he informed her, cleansing the tip of a syringe. "Stop fidgeting, Nami-ya, I need to take a blood sample."

"But I'm fine," she insisted irritably, shivering mildly from the cool wind coming in through the opened door of the infirmary. "It was just a headache, and now it's gone."

"You heard Mugiwara's voice," he pointed out as he dabbed an alcohol-soaked cotton ball on the navigator's arm. "I hardly consider that being fine."

"And what does that have to do with taking a sample of my blood?!" she demanded, freeing herself from his grasp. The surgeon raised an amused brow at her, a realization dawning on him.

"Could it be that you're afraid of needles, Nami-ya?

"E-Eh?" she faltered, "No way!"

"Ah, would you look at that lovely seagull outside?" the surgeon attempted to sound encouraging or even meekly surprised, but both his voice and face were as dull as ever. However, surprisingly enough, he succeeded in getting Nami to look away from him and turn her gaze to the opened door.

"Huh? What are you talking about?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows in the process of trying to catch a glimpse of what the surgeon had been talking about. She turned her head back, ready to pick an argument with him, but then noticed the previously empty syringe completely filled with a red liquid. Also known as her precious blood.

"Eh?!" she exclaimed, staring at her now bandaged arm. "When did-"

The surgeon got up from his chair and turned to transfer the blood to an empty test tube. Nami refused to admit so, but she did find it rather admirable how natural he was at being a doctor, as she hadn't noticed the sting of the needle at all. Law took out a glass bottle filled with a translucent liquid; his normally steady and stern eyes holding a strange sadness in them.

"Until I examine the sample, you can take this," he told Nami, interrupting her train of thought. "It will help reduce your tension."

The navigator accepted the bottle, continuing to watch him inquisitively. Despite his skill at hiding it, she knew how worried he was about his crew. She decided that trying to pry his feelings out of him one more time wouldn't do harm. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm feeling fine," he replied flatly.

"Stubborn idiot," Nami muttered, pushing herself off the infirmary bed. If he heard what she had said, he certainly didn't bother showing any sign of it. Law's now slightly bent den-den mushi began to ring, snapping Nami out of her thoughts. The surgeon snatched it off the desk and picked up the speaker relatively fast.

"Penguin?!" he said.

"Nah…" the voice on the other side soothed, sending a chill down Nami's spine. Law's grip on the den-den mushi tightened as he listened to the low, steady laugh coming from the caller. "This is Doflamingo. And I have both Penguin and your precious bear held hostage."


	4. Chapter 4

**_THANK_ YOU FOR ALL ZE SUPPORT 8D! TRULY!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

"You son of a bitch…" the surgeon seethed, his eyes revealing not only anger, but a trace of panic. Doflamingo seemed to sense Law's agitation.

"Now now, Law," he hushed, a hint of mockery in his tone. "No need to get worked up. Were you expecting me to lounge and wait however long you needed until you brought me back my precious business partner? Being late has its consequences, naturally."

Law's jaw shook from how vigorously his teeth were clenched. "That fucking clown of yours will be at your feet in less than ten days. You hear me? Until then you had better keep your hands to yourself, Joker."

"Ah ah, getting a little big-headed, aren't we?" Doflamingo mused. "Ten days is a bit of a stretch, seeing how late you already are. Consider it me being patient with you when I say I want him back in no more than a week. Otherwise…"

"We'll be fine, Captain!" the voice of Penguin came soaring through the den-den mushi, although it sounded exceedingly worn out. The line cut off, not giving Law a chance to respond.

"That bastard…" he whispered. Nami kept quiet as she eyed the surgeon carefully, anticipating his next decision, as she had listened to everything Doflamingo said. Needing only a moment to somewhat collect himself, the surgeon stuffed the den-den mushi in his pocket and raised his head.

"We only have seven days to wake them up," he said wearily. "And I'm going to need every shred of time we have. I made a medicine, but the chance of it working is very slim."

"What can I do to help?" Nami asked. She followed him to the boys' quarters, where he put down his sword and revealed one, small bottle of medicine. He handed it over to Nami with several plastic spoons.

"Give one spoonful to each of them, and make sure it goes down," he instructed, hurriedly leaving for the infirmary. The navigator rolled the sleeves of her sweater up and began with her captain, whose bed was closest to the door. She slipped her hand under his head and gently poured a spoonful of the medicine into his mouth. She proceeded with the same process with all her nakama until she got to Caesar, personally, she found very unnerving.

"Eh…" she winced, propping extra pillows under his head whilst trying to avoid getting in contact with him. As soon as she disposed of the plastic spoons and washed her hands, she clutched her stomach, starting to feel how hungry she was. It made her miss the presence of the cook more than she had realized.

"Shush," she mumbled as it started growling.

She knew how stubborn she could be, but the surgeon was on another level of obstinacy. The leftover rice balls were in the fridge, so to stick to Sanji's moral of not wasting food, the navigator took them out and headed to the library, where she'd seen Law head to last.

"As busy as we are, food is important," Nami insisted once she'd entered the library. She put the plate down by the surgeon, who was flipping vigorously through a ridiculously big sized book. He gave her a subtle nod, briefly gesturing to a pile of books he had stacked on the table.

"It'd be a great help if you could look through these," he said.

"What am I looking for?" she asked as she settled down, bringing the stack of books closer to her and starting with the one on top.

"If only I knew," he replied with sarcasm. "Just mark the page of whatever you think could be of help."

Time ticked by, the navigator proceeding with going through every book set out on the table. As soon as she finished skimming through them, she got up and gave the shelves a scan, producing a fresh new pile of books. Law kept moving back and forth between the boys' quarters, the infirmary, and occasionally the library to retrieve the books Nami had marked. At exactly seven in the evening that day, the surgeon finally decided to have something to eat. He had been testing out several of the medicines and herbs Chopper had stashed away, and finally took the time to sit in the library where Nami was.

"Raccoon-ya has many interesting antidotes," Law noted, flipping through a pile of notes as he sat down.

"Reindeer," Nami corrected impatiently. "He was born on an island in the Grand line. It used to be known for its doctors and rare remedies."

Law grabbed a rice ball from the plate and, after studying it cautiously, took a bite. The navigator watched him out the corner of her eye, anticipating his thoughts on it. Despite how misshapen they looked, she personally found them to be a rather good batch. Well, at least in her standards.

"Nami-ya," Law said, having finished the last bite. "Is this your first time making onigiri?"

"Is it that obvious?" she muttered.

"If it wasn't for their odd shapes, I wouldn't have noticed," he told her. Considering how aloof the surgeon could be, that was quite the compliment. Nami was relatively satisfied.

"I came across something interesting in one of the books you marked," he continued. "There's a fairly big possibility that the issue lies in their brains. More specifically the cerebrum, which has the parts that are in control of your body movement. I have yet to understand what the specific problem is, however…"

"Seeing how things aren't going as well as we'd hoped, I might have to perform surgery," he finished. The navigator was a bit confused, not understanding why he had taken a pause before informing her. She found it normal and expected that he would end up having to resort to an operation.

"The only reason I want to avoid this, Nami-ya," he explained, having read her confused expression, "is because the surgery is very dangerous. It could put the lives of your nakama on the line."

The navigator's hopeful aura gradually evaporated. It never ceased to impress her how forward the surgeon could be, but this time she saw true concern in his eyes. Nami fiddled with the tips of her bangs.

"I understand," she said at last. "But, we'll try our best to find another solution. I'll try to go through the books faster, and if you need anything in terms of getting samples from them or whatnot, just let me know. I _don't_ want us to have to resort to the surgery…so I'll work harder. I promise!"

Law gave her a long stare, his eyes reflecting a hint of curiosity. He nodded. "Come with me."

"If the medicine was effective, it should've worked by now," he said, gently lifting Luffy's eyelids and shining a small flashlight in his eyes. His pupils looked glassy and lifeless, making Nami grimace uneasily and settle down on the desk chair. Law straightened up.

"I need to do a few more-" he began, but paused as he noticed the drowsy navigator. Her head was bobbing awkwardly; her eyes struggled to stay open.

"Hmm…" she hummed before snapping her head up and blinking, "Eh? Did you say something?"

Law's eyes revealed a hint of amusement.

"Not at all, Nami-ya," he replied. "I don't want to have to take care of yet another sick person; I already have nine patients. You haven't slept properly in days, so do go rest."

"No way! I have more books to go through-"

"Do you realize how many books you have already piled for me? I now have more than thirty of them stacked in my room. You would be doing me a favor if you gave it a rest," he insisted. Nami didn't bother protesting. She hadn't felt that worn out in a long time. However, that didn't stop her from taking the time to grab a blanket and pillow from the girl's quarters in order to settle next to her nakama's beds. Sleeping alone didn't appeal to her at that point. At all.

Law's eyebrow arched as he watched her install herself comfortably near their beds. "Taking residence in the patients' room I see."

"Yup. Deal with it," she said, taking off her sweater and draping the blanket over herself. Nami's tattoo caught the surgeon's eye, as he hadn't taken the time to give it a good look before. He tapped his pencil thoughtfully on the desk. Nami could feel his fixed eyes.

"Even if I seemed uneasy about that needle, I did manage to get this," she explained, running her fingers over the pattern. A wistful smile settled on her features. She suddenly longed to share the story behind her tattoo, which confused her. She didn't consider herself someone close to the warlord, nor did she think he would particularly care. Besides, it would only trigger bad memories, and be a waste of time; a distraction. She dismissed the thought.

"Anything you wanna say about it?" the surgeon finally broke the ice, his ability to read her expression starting to awe her. Nami tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled uncertainly.

…

Something about how calm Law's expression was and occasional nods comforted her, and encouraged her to speak more. However, she did try avoiding the violent parts as best as she could. Not only were they unpleasant, but she didn't want to take the chance of shedding tears in front of him. The clock soon ticked eleven, making her realize how long she had been talking. And throughout it all, he hadn't interrupted her once.

"So you were a known thief since a young age," he finally noted. "How interesting. The villagers must have been quite patient with you."

"Heh, until this day I don't imagine why they were. Some of them went so far as calling me Na-chan," she laughed, waving her hands dismissively. "Gee, it's really silly…"

Law tapped his index finger against a book's corner, listening carefully to Nami. She described the people in her village in pure positivity despite the rough things that she had gone through. She knew how to completely dismiss the bad parts and focus on the good, which gave Law a twinge of jealousy. He had never had the ability to do that, and doubted he ever would.

"Ahh well, enough of that," she finally said, slipping under the covers. She flashed Law a small smile and rested her head on the pillow, finally allowing her eyes to rest for the night. She heard him turn his chair towards the desk again, followed by the gentle sound of a pencil twirling between his fingers.

"Na-chan…" the voice of the surgeon came out as a soft whisper. She was surprised to see how powerfully that mere word tugged at her heartstrings just as she was on the verge of dozing off. Somehow, it made her feel at ease. An inevitable wide smile spread on her lips. She liked the way it sounded when he said it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

No matter the medicine, no matter the number of books they leafed through, the surgeon knew it was futile. For two full days, they tested out so many it was no longer safe to have them consume anymore. But the navigator was working her fingers to the bone, getting as little as an hour of sleep a day, refusing to take useless breaks. Her typical striking orange hair was pale and spiritless; she was starting to develop harsh dark circles under her no longer hopeful eyes. And it was starting to deeply bother him.

"Nami-ya," muttered Law, watching Nami as she almost stumbled over the many books scattered on the floor of the boys' quarters.

"What is it?" she replied hastily, grabbing the bottle of solution on the desk. "Is this another one of the samples we should try out? Where are the spoons…"

The surgeon slammed his pencil on the desk and got up. Nami took no notice and proceeded with trying to locate the spoons. Her eyes were bloodshot, her breaths were threateningly unsteady. She was about to slip a spoonful of the medicine into Luffy's mouth when Law seized her by the arm and pulled her back, causing the drink to spill all over the wooden floor.

"Hey-" protested Nami.

"Stop it," he ordered, gently taking the bottle away from her. "I need to you to stop."

Nami pulled her arm away from him, an offended look lolling in her features. "Why? Weren't we gonna keep trying?!"

"The medicine isn't going to work," he told her. "You and I both know that at this point, none of the medicines we try are going to be of any use."

The navigator's face fell. Her fists shook heartily as she turned away from him and scurried out of the room. She had been boxing up her distress from the moment everything began. The surgeon had such a strong willpower not to reveal his fears and agitation that she would start feeling pathetic if she were ever on the brink of breaking down in front of him.

But at this point, there was absolutely no hiding it. The navigator was insanely frightened. The mere thought of losing her nakama constantly came like a bullet to her head. She, in fact, had a lot of hope that she and Law would find an antidote that could wake them up. Or at the beginning, at least. So it was true that at first she had been feeling a tad more relaxed. Something inside her always told her things would work out at the end, but as of the last few days, the more they searched and tried the more hopeless and fearful she became.

So as much as she hated it, this was her breaking point.

Nami wrapped her fingers around the railings, the cool evening breeze causing goosebumps to form all over her body. She felt a knowing tingle in her eyes; a heavy, frustrating lump irrupted in her throat. She tugged at her bangs as if trying to pull them far enough to hide her eyes.

"Nami-ya," the gentle voice of the surgeon came so suddenly it made the navigator jump.

He loosened his grip on the sword that rested on his shoulder, letting it slip off before setting it against the railing. His eyes remained fixed on the navigator. She was facing the grassy deck and refused to look up at him. Law heard a small but noticeable hiccup escape Nami's throat, which made him curl his fingers into firmly clenched fists. Seeing her so fragile and dejected sent a strange, powerful will into him of wanting to be her spring of comfort.

"Law…" she murmured softly, her voice scarcely heard over the moaning wind as it rustled heavily through her tangerine grove. She slowly let her head sink into the surgeon's chest. Law tensed, his body seemingly rejecting the unforeseen contact between them. He found it unfathomable, but the other part of him deeply wished to welcome it. His eyes softened as he sensed his shirt getting drenched in the navigator's tears. Gradually, he allowed his fists to relax before enfolding Nami with his arm and pulling her closer to him, and in silence, listened to her soft muffles turn into sobs. Her breathing went erratic, her weeps spread throughout the ship.

"Nami-ya," whispered Law, tightening his embrace around the tearful navigator. "Allow me to be your strength."

Nami's sobs noticeably died down. Though hesitantly, she slowly lifted her head to look into the surgeon's sharp eyes. Despite how keen they were, she could sense depth and intensity soaring through them, as if he held so many feelings which could only be exposed through his eyes.

"I promise," he affirmed, making the oath to himself and the navigator, "Your nakama and mine will be okay."

* * *

It was finally decided between the both of them that performing the operation was their best choice.

Nami understood that the operation was to take hours, and how risky it was. But what she didn't know was how restless she was going to feel as the time leisurely ticked by. She tried distracting herself with absolutely anything; from constantly checking the weather and making sure they were on the right course back to Dressrosa to reading drama plays from the archaeologist's book collection. She even went as far as spending her time cleaning around the ship, something she rarely did. As much as she wanted to check on him and her nakama, the surgeon had very specifically told her not to go in while he was operating.

After exactly four hours of nagging worry, the door of the boys' quarters creaked opened. Law stepped out.

"How'd it go?!" Nami asked as she scrambled off the grassy deck.

"I haven't finished," he said, exhaust overcoming his face. He tugged at his plastic gloves before looking at the anxious navigator."In order to continue with the surgery, I'm going to need your help."

Nami was taken aback. "My help?... All I'm good at doing is producing wind and lightning, how's that gonna be of use?"

"You may not understand it yet, but your skill at making lightning will undoubtedly be helpful. I've been aware of your eagerness to help Mugiwara, so now is the time you stepped in."

Nami swallowed the overwhelming lump in her throat. "I don't think I get it. What do you want me to do?"

"I'll explain it to you briefly. But, Nami-ya," he sounded cautious. "I need you to understand something before you join me."

The navigator nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"The sight in there is not pleasant, nor is it in any way friendly. You might no longer trust me once you see it. But if right now you have at least a shred of faith in me, you will ignore the sight and assist me in curing them."

A memory of Chopper accusing Law of murder after seeing what he was doing to the children back in Punk hazard flashed in the navigator's mind, but as quick as it came, she was quick to dismiss it.

"You idiot," she finally said, slipping a hair tie off her wrist and tying her hair back, "I trust you. You'd be surprised at the number of unpleasant things I've encountered in my life! Now just tell me what I have to do."

* * *

"Try not to panic," the surgeon said as he opened the door and stepped in.

"What's the big dea-" she began, but paused the second she got a clear look of what was happening. Her face seemed to quickly morph into a mortified mask. "What…the fuck?!"

Nami stood in front of the nine beds where the patients lay…well, parts of them, at least.

"Their…their heads are…" the navigator faltered, "Law…why…? Is that…Holly _shit_ is that blood?!"

"Yes, it's quite gory and monstrous in here, isn't it?" said the surgeon flatly, shutting the door after him. "But unfortunately for you, Nami-ya, you clearly said you trusted me. So I'm afraid you can't back out."

The navigator turned her head away from the sight, feeling a twinge of irritation at his comment, "Why would you do this?!"

Law sighed. "If I were to explain to you my ways of performing surgery, then seeing your nakama's bodies all over the place would be at the bottom of your worries."

"Don't say it so casually, oh my God!" yelled Nami, shivering like someone dumped her into a ten foot bucket of icy water. "Please… just hurry up and tell me what I'm supposed to do."

"Take out your climatact," he instructed, gently leading her closer to the beds. "I need you to produce storm clouds above them."

Nami frowned but did as she was told. He clearly had a plan in mind. The clouds hovered over her nakama and Caesar threateningly, ready to zap at her command.

"I took care of your captain, since he's made of rubber and in normal circumstances can't be affected by lightning," Law explained. "And I've made sure none of them would feel any of it."

The navigator blinked repeatedly as she took in his words. "…You want me to directly _electrify_ my nakama?"

"Their heads, to be specific," he said, apathetically gesturing to the scattered body parts of the Strawhats. "Part of the reason why I detached them was because I didn't want to risk electrifying their hearts, especially at such a close range. I only want it to affect their brains. The lightning will work as a resuscitator for the parts of their brain that are now not functioning. I had to inject them with an anesthetic to make sure they don't feel it."

Nami was starting to feel slightly out of it. She had to take a moment, allowing everything the surgeon was saying to sink in, and to try to understand the unfamiliar words. She rubbed her temples, frustrated.

"You're insane," she said with a shake of her head. "Law… you're insane."

"So I've been told," he replied.

"Is it safe…?"

The surgeon looked at her wearily. He tried avoiding the urge to tell her that it could very well cause their brains to fry. "I can't say it is, but I did everything I could to lessen the possibility of anything going wrong."

Nami's stomach made multiple summersaults as she thought of the many ways it _could_ go wrong. How it would all be her fault if something were to happen to them. But she knew there was really no backing out at that point. The surgeon put in his all trying to make it safer, and all she had to do now was put her faith in him.

The navigator grabbed a cup of water from the desk and took a good sip to clear her throat. "Erm…here'goes."

Law took a slow step away from the beds to give her space. Several heat and cool balls floated above the helpless bodies of the Strawhats.

"Thunder bolt…" Nami's voice was shaky, but she managed to concentrate on her targets, "Tempo!"

The boys' quarters shook, and for a fraction of a second, the room was flooded with light. Everything gradually calmed down, the shaking of the floor subdued and the piercing sound of the storm clouds disappeared. Nami had grabbed the desk's corner to prevent herself from falling, but was now scared to open her eyes from fear of what could have gone wrong. She heard the gentle sound of the surgeons' steps as he approached the patients, followed by his infamous _Room._ Still, her eyes remained glued shut. It felt like a millennia as she waited for him to finish checking on them, to make sure this wasn't a terrible mistake, and that she didn't just murder her most treasured people in the world.

"Nami-ya," called out the surgeon at last. Nami shuddered. "Open your eyes."

It felt like it took every shred of courage she had to finally do that. The previously sickening scene of the room was entirely gone. Her nakama were lying as tranquil as ever with, much to her relief, their complete bodies. Each of them had the slightest bit of soot on their faces, but other than that they looked good. They were breathing.

"You did it," Law praised as he disposed of his plastic gloves. Even he had a relieved look settled on his features.

"They're gonna wake up…?" she managed.

"At the latest, they should gain their consciousness in the next day or two," he said.

Nami felt like she was spilling over with solace, and sensed a queer tug at her heart at the reassuring smile Law gave her. As if on cue, her arms made a sudden jerk, wanting to embrace the surgeon in a grateful hug but something stopped her from doing so. Law seemed to notice the awkward posture she was now in and simply regarded her with a nod.

"It won't be very easy for them to regain their energy. They'll most likely have trouble walking at the beginning, and may experience minor headaches," he explained. "Things won't go back to normal right away, but we'll be able to work it out."

The navigator nodded in understanding.

"I smell of chemicals…" he muttered in complaint as he shoved open the door, sparing her a final glance, "I'll be getting some rest now. You should too."

She knew she should. And that she would, eventually. Both her and the surgeon's sleeping schedules were now completely jumbled due to how overly determined she was to save her nakama. And all the while, Law had tolerated her demands and stayed up to help her. She owed him greatly for many reasons…

Including him being there when she was practically sinking into a puddle of pitiful hopelessness. As soon as she had allowed herself to lean on him, she had felt a wave of regret wash over her. All she could think of was how awkwardly he would stand there until she decided to get off of him, or perhaps he would ask her to go find a pillow to cry on. But, much to her surprise, he did neither of those things. He hugged her, tightly. He gave her reassuring words. Something she never would have expected from their cheerless ally.

Nami stepped out of the boys' quarters and stretched her arms as high as they could go, breathing in the fresh air of dawn. She hadn't taken the time to notice how pleasant the mornings were the past few days, seeing that she had had everything _but_ the weather on her mind. With a clumsy tactic, the navigator slipped off her sandals and plunked herself down on the wettish grass from the earlier night's light rain, feeling a pleasant shiver travel up her spine.

Her mind was _relatively_ clear of worries. But that wasn't necessarily a good thing, as she had a very stubborn feeling whizzing through her like a nagging, unruly bee concerning the surgeon as a replacement. However, until she felt the relief of seeing her nakama up and about, it would do her very well to ignore it. She could barely contain her patience to give her captain the long awaited beating for making her worry so much.

* * *

 **For le Guest Reviewers:**

LawFan: _Well…c8 I sincerely doubt that because, to be quite honest with you, I'm still in a bubble of oblivion concerning Law's past XD._

Guest [June 19th]: _o: I'm hoping this chapter balanced things out. I kept your words in mind, so THANK YOU FOR POINTING IT OUT 8D!_


	6. Chapter 6

**HIYA 8D!**

 **So I feel sort of conflicted about this chapter. c8 I feel like something about it isn't quite right. I might or might not have rushed things. –Shrugs- YOU GUYS CAN BE THE JUDGES ON THAT :oo!**

 **BUT YESH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN ALL ITS VARIOUS FORMS ;D!**

 _ **[Reply to Guest reviewer]:**_

 _ **Apple Bloom**_ _ **: Iloff your name kk. And yess, they will be OO:! Thank you 8D!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

Nami felt cold. Freezing, in fact. Her neck felt as stiff as a rock as she pushed herself off the ground, feeling exceedingly heavy in the head.

 _Ah…_ she recalled, rubbing her neck in pain. _I fell asleep on the deck._

Her stomach growled. Her ears buzzed irritably. Her hair was a comical bird nest. And she didn't give a shit.

Well, not until Law came out of the guestroom and gave her a look that said: _You just had to be the Straw hat I got stuck with_. Her nakama had seen her in her bed hair and messy demeanor numerous times, but for the surgeon to see her in such a state for some obnoxious reason did not make her happy. The navigator managed to get on her feet, though in a rather sloppy manner, and slip her sandals on.

"Morning," she snapped irritably, as if he was the one at fault for seeing her this way.

"More like afternoon," he replied, having finished staring at her weirdly and heading to the boys' quarters.

Nami was quick to dress properly and follow him. She knew it might have been still a little early for her nakama to be up, but she couldn't help but hold a little hope.

As she expected, however, they were still lying in bed. Unconscious. Nami let out a small, tired sigh.

But she _did_ note something different about them. They didn't have that peaceful, lifeless look on their faces. Luffy had changed position in his sleep, and a gentle snore was escaping him harmoniously. Robin had also shifted, and was now facing the wall instead of lying completely still. Zoro had, quite ridiculously, shoved the sheet that had been draped over him off the bed.

A wide, relieved smile flattered Nami's lips. "They're getting better."

Law was now detaching the equipment he had assembled to provide them with the food and water they needed. "They won't be needing this anymore."

Nami perked. "Is that how soon they'll be waking up?!"

"Indeed."

"Heh, about time! I'm gonna whip something up for them to eat," she told him as she got up, reaching out to seize the doorknob. She was welcomed by a gush of warm air. Hope was completely resurrected inside of the navigator as she made her way to the kitchen.

For the last week or so all she had been eating was onigiri. It was time she changed things up a bit, and she doubted the surgeon would mind.

Nami grabbed the cook's pink apron and slipped it on, taking out a pot from the cupboard.

 _I can make some stew…_ Nami thought, tapping her finger attentively on the counter. _I'll need some tomatoes. I wonder if Sanji-kun has any-_

"MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!"

Nami froze.

The pot she'd been holding clattered noisily against the wooden floor. Her jaw began to tremor softly.

Wasting no time, she abruptly flung herself out of the kitchen door, her hands clutching onto the apron.

 _Please please…let me not be hearing things this time._

Nami ran into the opened door of the boys' quarters, cursing her unadjusted vision. She searched the room with desperate eyes.

"Hungry…" Luffy whined as he sat up in bed, his hair as crazy as her bedhead.

The navigator felt a wide grin capture her features as she took in her captain, who wore a grumpy pout and rubbed his eyes childishly. A relieved laugh escaped her. She scurried towards his bed, noticing that more of her nakama were pushing themselves off their beds with heavy groans or, in Chopper's case, small whines.

"I feel sooooo sleepy," muttered Luffy, "Why do I feel like this?! Nami! Get me meat!"

Little by little, her broad grin melted off her face before she had the chance to envelop him in a hug. She felt exasperation well up in her chest instead of relief, followed by a tight clench of her fist.

"Are you shitting me…" she whispered, receiving a confused look from her captain. "You have no idea…"

She raised her fist.

"…HOW MUCH YOU FUCKING WORRIED ME!" she screamed, landing a punch to his head so fierce she heard the bed crack in response. Luffy seized the growing bump on his head and wailed pitifully.

"And _all_ you say is THAT?!" yelled Nami as aggrieved fire radiated from her body.

"I always say I want meat! Why are you so mad?!" he demanded, true confusion emitting from his innocent eyes. Nami allowed her fists to relax before drawing in deep breaths in attempt to calm herself.

"Luffy… don't bother Nami-swaaaan~!" the faint voice of Sanji came out in protest, though he was still dozy.

"You fools!" yelled the voice of Caesar, who seemed to still be in a daze despite being ridiculously loud, "You had better return me to Joker!"

"Shut it, clown," Zoro snapped from where he lay.

"He's scary…" Chopper's voice chimed in next as he plopped off the bed, the sound of his hooves making the corners of Nami's lips twitch into a smile. Slowly but surely, everyone was finally gaining consciousness, making Nami's anger dissolve despite herself. With a defeated chuckle, the navigator leaned on the wall and crossed her arms against her chest.

"You had me worried sick, you morons," she whispered with a smile.

"My heard huuuuuurts," Chopper wailed.

"Strange…Why was I sleeping in the boys' room?" came the gentle voice of Robin, who was sitting up in her bed and looking around the room. Nami pushed herself away from the wall and, with a loud cry, engulfed the archaeologist in a hug.

"Thank God you're finally up!" whimpered the navigator, receiving a chuckle from her fellow nakama.

"It's good to see you as well. It seems that something happened," she replied, a crease making its way between her eyes. "I do remember me collapsing at some point on the deck…"

* * *

"We were unconscious for a whole week?!" Luffy exclaimed in horror before putting his head down and spreading out his fingers. Everyone had gathered in the kitchen when they finally managed to get out of bed and change up. "That's how many meals…?"

As her rubber captain took his time calculating how many meals he missed, Nami continued explaining.

"Doflamingo gave us a time limit of seven days; otherwise Law's nakama would be in trouble."

"Ohh, my sweetheart! I apologize with _all_ my heart for having left you with that grumpy doctor for so long!" Sanji blubbered, falling down to his knees and offering her his hand.

"That explains why my legs felt rather weak when I first got up…" Robin pointed out before looking up at Nami with a tender smile. "We must have gotten you worried."

"Ha, I'll say," Nami snapped, earning a chuckle from the archaeologist. The cook had already started fixing the food she had been longing for, as the heavenly smell of spices began drifting through the air.

"We apologize," she said on behalf of the Strawhats. Nami's face finally softened, a small smile replacing her scowl. Despite how frustrated she was, she still couldn't help but feel tremendously happy that things were, finally, going back to the way they were.

"Nami-san," Brook interrupted gently as he swayed his cup of tea. "May I see your panties?"

"Brook! Knock it off and get over here! Your milk will soil!" snapped the cook, saving Nami the trouble of cracking the skeleton's skull open.

The navigator put her cup of juice on the table and yawned.

"How is Trao-kun?" asked Robin. Nami's smile diminished.

"He's probably worried sick about his nakama, even though he stays quiet."

Robin nodded subtly.

"At any rate," she continued, having cleared her throat, "We're arriving at Dressrosa in the next day or two!"

The door of the kitchen creaked open, revealing a troubled looking Law. He stepped in.

"TORAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Luffy hollered as he scampered off the floor and pounced on the surgeon like his life depended on it.

"Oi! Mugiwara!" Law snapped as he struggled to untangle the rubber boy from around his torso. "Get _off_ of me!"

* * *

Thank the heavens, Nami thought; her captain didn't decide to throw a banquet that night. His body bad failed him and he ended up falling asleep sprawled across the deck, with Chopper draped on his stomach.

The navigator's thoughts swarmed aimlessly as she dragged her drained body to the girls' quarters, where Robin was getting ready to shut down for the night. The archaeologist regarded her with a simple smile as Nami stepped into the room, heaving a sigh as heavy as her drowsy eyelids. She kicked her sandals off and sunk into the bed. The coolness of the sheet felt good on her perspiring body.

"Nami," Robin said, noticing the mentally absent navigator. "…Nami?"

Nami shook her head. "Sorry?"

The archaeologist sat at the side of her bed, her eyebrows interlaced in concern. "What's on your mind?"

"Eh…Just a little sleepy," she answered, still a tad absent.

Robin didn't buy it. "Are you sure?" she pressed.

The navigator lifted her head to look into Robin's eyes, which gazed into her own with welcoming and kindness. The older woman gave her an encouraging nod.

Nami brought her knees to her chest, her teeth biting the insides of her cheeks uneasily. She swallowed hard. A sharp pain soared down her throat.

"I feel…" she mumbled, trying to place her sensation fittingly, "kind of…lost."

She could see the calm expression on Robin's face dissolve, a look of perplexity setting in substitution on her soft features.

"Why ever so?"

Nami felt like she was confessing to a misdeed as she reflected on the words settled at the tip of her tongue.

 _Gee, I'm such a wimp...I don't even have the guts to say it._

 _Curse this…_

The navigator occupied herself by fiddling with her with bangs, which were now beginning to curl from how much she had been playing around with them.

"While you were away," she managed to say, sensing her face flush in color, which only caused her embarrassment to amplify, "I…"

Robin couldn't for the life of her decipher what was frustrating her roommate so strongly. She raised an inquisitive brow.

"I developed feelings for Law," Nami finally whispered, her face nestled into her knees. "And…I don't know what to do."

The urge to throw herself out the door felt overpoweringly strong. And the lengthy time the older woman took to respond didn't help, as it caused Nami's stomach to spin in apprehension. She had had interior fights in her mind about the matter until she had the guts to admit it to herself. Declaring it to someone else was a whole other level.

"And why do you feel lost?" Robin questioned gently, the smallest hint of a teasing smile gracing her lips.

Nami laughed and covered her eyes with the back of her hand. "Because… it's not just any man. It's _Law_."

The man who sent one hundred pirate heads to Navy HQ just to earn the Warlord title. The man who cuts people's heads off and tosses them entertainingly back and forth in his hand, as if it was some type of game. The grumpy idiot who makes her feel unappreciated. He confuses the shit out of her. He irks her to _no_ end. But then he completely catches her off guard and hugs her, and provides her with heartening words. He somehow makes her heart leap whenever he runs his fingers through his tousled hair. How he absently leaves a grain of rice hanging from his goatee like a clumsy goof and glances at her weirdly when he finds her laughing out of the blue. He-

"GAAH!" she suddenly snapped, rumpling her hair in aggravation and jumping off the bed. "He's like a damn bug who keeps nagging in my head! I _hate_ it!"

She paced back and forth the room, oblivious to the amused eyes of the archaeologist who kept watching her carefully.

"A part of me can barely stand him…" Nami tried to put in plain words, moving her hands in weird up and down gestures to suit her confusion, "Yet I still find myself gawking at his stupid, _dumb_ , scowling sleeping face like a halfwit! I make extra sure I put the perfect amount of salt in his rice balls! I actually _work_ to get his stupid attention! What the hell is wrong with me?!"

Nami stopped pacing. She took a deep breath.

"I need some fresh air," she concluded, pushing open the door and scampering out of the stuffy room.

She bent down, rested her arms on the cold railings, and felt herself slowly drift into directionless thought. Her eyes settled on the gently stirring water, the reflection of the moon giving her a settle, more tranquil feeling. She sighed in defeat.

"Nami!"

The navigator jumped. She turned her head to find none other than her captain standing across from her, a curious look planted on his face. He had his hands resting behind his head as he took a few steps closer to her.

"Hi Luffy," she greeted, surprised to see her captain up. Luffy blinked a few times before cocking his head.

"Why are you sad?" he asked, earning a few taken aback blinks from the navigator.

Nami exhaled noisily and plunked down on the grass, her captain following her moves shortly after. A small smile settled on her lips as she looked at his happy face. Her vexed feelings seemed to dissolve as his eyes spoke to her with honest concern.

Luffy grabbed Nami's hands and took them in his own. A grin as big as the shining moon overlapped his face. "Usopp showed me a fun hand game! Wanna play?"

And for once, Nami didn't mind. She smiled in return. "Sure."

" _So-ge-kingu!~_ " Luffy sang as he led the navigator in the clapping of the handshake. She wouldn't have been surprised if the entire ship came flailing up the deck, as her captain's voice was as high and lively as ever. _"Lives-in your-heart!~_ "

Nami raised a bemused eyebrow at the lyrics, but went along nevertheless _._

" _Namnham…nanana!~_ " he continued, a bead of sweat trickling down his forehead. The usual routine of getting irritated by her captain was replaced with laughter.

"That's all you had memorized, Luffy?" she asked knowingly.

"It was more fun when Usopp did it!" he insisted. With a content sigh, Nami put her head back to look at the sky. The high spirits of her captain eased her tension and distracted her from her thoughts.

"Ne, Luffy," she began. She felt his eyes settle on her. "Torao clearly told us that this plan can be very dangerous. Be careful, okay? You can't be your usual careless self, this is serious! You won't get enough of my fist if you end up getting in trouble!"

"But I always win, Nami! Don't worry!" he casually replied.

She bonked him softly on the head. "Don't be cocky!"

He chuckled, adjusting himself into a squatting position across from her.

"I think…" he initiated with a mild cock of his head, "I think Torao is sad."

There was no denying it; Nami was surprised by the statement. She knew her captain wasn't as much of an idiot as they usually took him as, but she wasn't expecting it. She flashed him a quizzical look.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well…" he tried explaining, his face scrunching as he thought hard."You know how Zoro is always grumpy? But I know he's happy on the inside. Torao is always grumpy, too. But I know he's not happy on the inside."

He nodded when he finished, as if what he said explained everything. "He looks sadder than before, too."

Nami knitted her eyebrows. "Than before…?"

"Yeah! Before we had that long nap!"

The navigator felt a rush of sadness gradually seep into her. "It's probably because his nakama aren't safe, Luffy. Once we hand in Caesar I'm sure things will be better."

Luffy still seemed to be in very deep thought, though she doubted it wasn't what it looked like. Luffy never thought. He just did.

"But that means he'll be sad for two WHOLE days!" Luffy exclaimed at last. "Does that mean one of my nakama will be sad for that long and I can't do anything about it?!"

Nami laughed at her captain's wave of panic, but somehow, hearing him refer to Law as his nakama gave her pleasure. "I'm sure if you let him join one of your games, he'll be happy. Wouldn't you agree?"

Luffy gasped comically, hitting his fist into his palm. "You're right! Shishishi, I should've thought of that!"

* * *

The morning next day was chaotic.

The kitchen was practically empty of meat, which caused Luffy to turn completely lunatic. The Sunny was overflowing with his loud, panicked shouts of _STAARVIIING!_ and _CHEESE WON'T EASE MY HUNGER!_

Zoro and Sanji were having fights since early dawn, but fortunately, a couple hits from the navigator's climatact did the trick. Chopper fell off of the ship multiple times as he and Usopp tried fishing for food, and Luffy wasn't making it any easier on them by jumping after him.

But, by noon, things had moderately calmed down. A sea king made interference, and for the next day, they would have enough meat to go around. Of course, assuming Sanji deprived their captain of snacks and having extra shares.

For ninety percent of the time, the surgeon had stayed cooped up in his room. Luffy had, several times, tried dragging him out to join one of his games, but all his tries were washed down the drain.

Law was, by far, the most stubborn person Nami had ever met.

"Why don't you check on him?" the archaeologist suggested, not taking her clearly teasing eyes off her book. Nami snapped her head towards her from where she sat on the beach chair, bright sparks of fire crackling from her eyes. With a last sip of her juice, she got off her beach chair and briefly turned her head to Robin.

"I'm taking this back to the kitchen," she informed her indignantly.

"Mhm, you do that. Say hello to Torao-kun for me while you're at it," the older woman replied with a knowing smile.

"I'm starting to wonder whether it was a good idea I told you," Nami muttered irritably as she stocked off with her cup.

It didn't take her long to change from her swimwear, and she made sure she didn't give the archaeologist a chance to catch her knocking on Law's door. Her head tilted back musingly as she waited for it to open. Supposing the surgeon was going to open it, that is.

Which he didn't.

After a solid five minutes of waiting, Nami rolled her eyes and opened the door herself. That was when she got the answer to why he hadn't opened it. His hair was dripping wet; a towel was draped around his neck.

 _Well shit_ , she thought.

He turned his head and lifted a confused brow at her. Nami cursed her luck.

"Zorooo, help me get Torao to come play with me!" the voice of Luffy came chiming in from the deck.

Law let out an irked _Tch_ as he made his way to the door and slammed it shut. "That kid…"

A half smile rested on Nami's lips as she leaned on the door. "You know, he really _is_ trying."

Law rewarded her with a subtle nod as he used his towel to shake through his damp hair. "I know he is."

Nami averted her eyes from the surgeon and let them rest on the bent den-den mushi that sat on the bed's side table. She wished he would allow her to see past the mask he always wore to hide his untold stories and emotions. He hid it so well, but she knew how troubled he truthfully was. For once, she wanted to be the one to comfort him. Not only did she owe it to him, but she genuinely _wanted_ to. However, ever since her nakama had woken up, there was an unspoken silence between them. An almost uncomfortable stillness ensued whenever they happened to be alone. It bothered her.

Not until she snapped out of her trance did she notice Law's gaze fixated on her. His eyes seemed sad and, could it be, somewhat longing as he locked his eyes with her own. She noted his slowly approaching footsteps, and only prayed he couldn't hear her restless heartbeats.

He was only a couple of feet if not one foot away from her when he finally stopped. A red hue slowly crept up the navigator's bashful face. The surgeon's hand slowly left his side and drew near her cheek. The way he looked at her was absent, not quite aware, yet it was very, very tender. The word _Death_ came into sight for a brief moment as Nami sensed the back of his fingers brushing against her skin, sending a tingling sensation down her neck.

But before she knew it, his eyes glazed over with an icy, cold layer over the gentle look the navigator had scarcely gotten the chance to savor. His face hardened, his hand dropped to his side and he turned away from her. The surgeon pinched the bridge of his nose, seeming frustrated of himself.

Nami felt an angry lump form in her throat. His sudden, bitter withdrawal hurt. She refused to leave the room with no explanation of his actions. She refused to accept the hard, cool look he veiled himself with over and over again. It took all her guts to reach out and take hold of his hand. He stiffened.

"Law-"

"Nami-ya, please," he interrupted gently, his voice hollow. He slipped his hand away from her grasp and refused to look back at her. "That was my mistake. Forget it."


	7. Chapter 7

YO 8)

So, I'm a little (okvery) far behind in One Piece 8'D! Because many things have happened in the manga that I still don't know about, in the following chapter, I'll be featuring the events happening after they get to Dressrosa and the Sunny team leaves for Zou. But, for now, I'm ignoring the Yonko because hahahaha it's a LITTLE too big for me to deal with in the story. SO, I APOLOGIZE FOR THAT!

Thank you ;D!

Reply to guest review:

Apple Bloom _:_ _HAHAHA I couldn't put it in any better way XD you're very right. Ty c:!_

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

Nami hated feeling ineffectual. Feeling like she could do absolutely nothing to _help_. Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, Robin, Franky...they were all fighting by Law's side and she could do nothing but lounge in the island of Zou beside a fucking polar bear, and do nothing.

That took her to another subject matter.

Never, ever, would she have expected Law –the great, fearful warlord- to have such a friendly, goofy crew. He hadn't ever clearly spoken of them, but from what she got of his personality and quick temper, she was expecting him to have chosen more aloof, quiet people to be his nakama. Nevertheless, she did know how utterly relieved he would be if he knew they were safe, saved. Yet he wouldn't answer on his den-den mushi no matter how many times they attempted to call.

The island of Zou was, expectedly, very close to Dressrosa, otherwise it wouldn't have been such a breeze for Doflamingo to travel there and take Bepo and Penguin hostage. But, then again, he had very clearly underestimated them. Perhaps they had been caught off guard in the beginning, but they knew once the warlord had left them in the care of two of his family members; Machvise and Dellinger, it wouldn't be too tricky to escape. Doflamingo was a tad too preoccupied to stay watching over the two, after all. They also knew depending on their captain to come for their rescue wasn't the thing to do; it would have been putting a terrible burden atop his shoulders, over everything else he had to cope with concerning Doflamingo and the alliance.

So, by the time Nami and the others had reached Dressrosa, Bepo and Penguin had made their escape. It wasn't trouble-free, but they managed to do it. They were only lucky that Bepo was a navigator; or else, it would have been a lost cause to try returning to Zou on a boat _so_ small the poor bear had to contract himself so as not to capsize it.

Luffy had ordered Nami and the Sunny team to head to Zou, and that was where they met the Heart Pirates. Mostly everyone spent time on the Sunny, since they had all agreed it was rather gloomy in the submarine. Law's crew, much to Nami's good fortune, was actually very kind and cheery. She developed a strong liking to them.

 _Unlike that Law…_ Nami thought, staring absently at Sanji, who was flipping eggs across from her.

However there was one thing she didn't approve of.

The fact that both Shachi and Penguin, and plenty others of the Heart Pirates, were women freaks. And that, of course, constantly caused commotions between them and Sanji. She was thankful Robin wasn't around to have to go through it, yet Nami knew the archaeologist would have handled it better than she was. Since _her_ way of handling things involved storm clouds, lightning, and a plentiful of gritted fists.

It had been roughly two days since their arrival.

And now, here they were, on the island of Zou, lying about, doing absolutely nothing, drinking Sanji's famous lemonade, and just waiting. Nami hated it.

"Nami-chan!" called out Bepo from where he sat beside her, making her jump and drop her cup of juice.

"Huh? What?!" she snapped, vexed.

"I'm sorry…" he apologized.

A wave of guilt washed over her as she noticed his earlier joyful features turn sullen.

"E-Eh…no, you don't have to be," she replied, awkwardly reaching out to pat him, in an attempt of comfort. As soon as her hand came in contact with his fur, however, she released a miniature gasp.

"Holly cow…" she mused, now running both her hands through his fur. "You're so…soft!"

Bepo blushed.

"Having you to cuddle with while napping sounds so perfect…" she sighed, losing herself almost entirely and ignoring the desperate calls of the cook yelling _You can cuddle with me, Nami-swaaan!~_ as she proceeded with caressing him.

"Captain always uses me as a pillow for his naps!" Bepo exclaimed, seemingly proud of it.

Nami froze. An image of Law cuddling against his bear navigator flickered in her mind, causing her face to turn cherry red.

"So…cute," she mumbled before snapping her head up and returning to reality. "But hey, that jerk's abusing you! Don't let him do that!"

"Ne… Nami-chan," Bepo poked her shoulder gently.

"What is it?"

"Why do you always talk about Captain negatively?" he asked in a harmless tone. "Did he do something?"

Nami clucked her tongue.

She had been trying not to think about it, and here was practically a stranger, pushing forth one of her most unwanted thoughts. The navigator cleared her throat and crossed her legs against the bench. She ran her fingers around the rim of her now empty cup of juice, ignoring the remnants of it that had spilled on the kitchen floor.

"Ehm…no, not really," she finally said, her voice cracking lightly.

Bepo blinked. "It's okay! Captain can be cold sometimes…"

"We don't know much about Captain's past," he explained, twirling his paws around each other uneasily. "But I know he has something always holding him back. He never joins us in our banquets…or anything, actually. But still, he's a great captain! He shows us he cares through small gestures. So anything petite coming out of him, we cherish it. Even if it's as simple as smiling!"

Nami fell silent.

During the time she spent with the surgeon, all she did was complain about his attitude. How bad-tempered and obnoxious he was. How he never showed gratitude, or that he cared at all. When, in fact, it was _she_ who scarcely acted considerate towards him. Here she was, whining pitifully about him, while she was the one who never took the time to thank him. She _never_ thanked him. Not for anything. Not for staying up until after dawn trying to find a way to cure her nakama, not for taking the time to check her stupid blood pressure, not for being attentive of her fear of needles, not for enduring her misshaped onigiri, or any of her other futile attempts of cooking. She never thanked him for his  embrace. And that physical contact…that wasn't at all _petite_. Not in his standers, it wasn't.

He was the thoughtful one of the two, not her. _Definitely_ not her.

"Nami-chan?" Bepo's voice seemed far.

"I really am an idiot," whispered Nami, clutching her bangs rather harshly. Realization soared through her hazel brown eyes. "My God, I'm an idiot…"

Bepo cocked his head. "No, you're not! Don't say that!"

 _Yes. Yes I am._

The navigator got off the bench and put her cup down, regarding the bear with a mild smile. "I'm gonna go to my room. Thanks for the company, Bepo."

* * *

The cook had called everyone for dinner, including the Heart Pirates. But, Nami was going to be a bit late showing up, as she was now dialing Law's den-den mushi for the tenth time. She leaned against the girls' quarters' door and began wondering whether she should give it a rest for a while.

However, on her eleventh try, she finally heard the other side pick up. She pushed herself away from the door and stuck the speaker to her mouth.

"Hello? Law?" she urged.

Only violent coughs reached her, followed by the sound of brutal swords clashing in the background. The navigator swallowed rigidly; barely able to contain her impatience.

"Nami-ya…?" the surgeon's voice pierced through her like a jagged arrow. He sounded hoarse, dead beat, and wholly defeated.

Nami balled her free hand into a fist.

"Law, don't give in to that fucking blondie! Doflamingo's nothing but an asscracker, so you better get your shit together and come back! You _and_ Luffy! Understood?!"

Nami blinked.

She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, or her ears playing tricks on her, but she thought –and for the first time- she heard a mild chuckle coming from the other end, though it sounded faintly husky.

"An asscracker, huh…" he countered wearily, the sounds of Luffy's battle cries noticeably increasing from behind him, "…I'm kind of in a middle of a fight to the death, Nami-ya, but thanks for the gesture."

"Bepo and Penguin are safe, too," she informed him.

A queer silence followed her news. She eventually heard a long, relieved sigh breaking loose from him.

"Good...that's very good. Scold them for me, will you?" he finally replied. "Those idiots had my mind gnawing."

"You got it!"

The navigator felt a smile tow at the corners of her lips. She could tell. He sounded…happy. Yes, perhaps tired, worn-out, but behind that exhaustion was something else. Something new.

"Things will be different once this hell comes to an end, Nami-ya," he finished. The line cut off.

* * *

Two exceptionally empty, boring days later, a marine ship showed up at the shore of Zou.

Nami and Chopper, who had been engrossed in a game of rubber bands, were instantly scared out of their wits.

"Shit…the Navy!" she screamed as she scrambled off her beach chair.

"M-MARINES? W-W-WHY? Did…Did we do something wrong?!" stammered Chopper.

"We're _pirates_ , you goof! Of course we did something wrong!" she yelled back, scanning the shore for Sanji, Brook, or anyone capable of protecting them. She panicked upon noticing the disappearance of Momonoske, who had been toying with Brook's afro only a moment before.

"Where's Momo?!" she demanded. Grabbing her precious beach chair, she ran towards the Sunny with Chopper following close behind. The marine ship was gradually, yet still too quickly for the navigator's liking, creeping upon them. Panic arose in the navigator's throat again as she climbed up the rope ladder leading to the deck.

"Chopper, hurry!" she urged, reaching out to hull him up.

"N-Nami…" Chopper whined. He grabbed at her ankle and sniffled babyishly.

"Sanji-kun!" called out Nami, desperate for back-up. Her climatact shook noisily in her trembling hands.

"We'll be fine, Chopper…We can protect the Sunny!" she reassured him, knowing very well that part of that encouragement was directed at herself.

The little reindeer mustered enough courage to reveal himself from behind her leg. Both of them stood in a fighting stance. With a heavy gulp, Nami fought the urge to run off and find Sanji as the ship finally drew near them.

Nami paused.

She squinted, mildly confused. _Hold it…is that-_

"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! NAMI! CHOPPER!"

Nami slammed her palm to her forehead.

Chopper squealed.

There was their foolish captain, standing atop the marine ship's mast and waving at them with a grin as brilliant as the moon.

"You guys looked terrified, is everything okay?" he inquired cheerily, finally getting close enough to the Sunny to jump onto the deck. As soon as his feet hit the grass, Chopper pounced on him. Only then did Sanji, Brook, and Momo appear on the deck.

"Ah, they've finally arrived! Thank goodness, Yohohoho!" laughed Brook.

"F-Father?!" Momo stammered, scanning the marine ship for his dad and, could he hope, for their missing companion.

"Announce your presence a little earlier, will you?!" snapped the navigator, her voice laced with irritation. Not less than a moment later, however, a wide smile graced her lips. Zoro, Usopp, Robin, Franky… they were all appearing upon the Sunny looking beat, but relief and victory glowed from their eyes. She heard the loud steps of Law's nakama as they climbed up the ladder. Their loud voices calling out to their captain were bursting with both enthusiasm and concern.

"Nami!" Robin greeted happily as she approached her female nakama.

The navigator smiled and gave Robin a welcoming hug. "Heya, Robin! How did things go? Stole a marine ship, I see. Good job on that."

"We can talk about it over lunch," the archaeologist suggested. "There's much to tell."

Nami nodded. She averted her eyes to Momo, who was being embraced by his father and…

She cocked her head, unable to recognize the third figure in the group hug. Someone large like Kinemon, with pink hair as bright as her bikini top. She couldn't make out his face, as it was muffled into the child's shoulder.

"That's Kanjuro, Kinemon-san's missing friend," Robin explained, having noted the navigator's vaguely confused expression.

"Ahh, I see! Yokatta…" sighed Nami contentedly. She was happy to see her little Momo acting so joyful after all that time of worry.

A loud, ear-splitting crash made her snap her head towards the Navy ship once more. Every single member of the Heart Pirates had pounced atop their captain.

" _Captaaaaaaaaaain!"_ they all wailed in unison. The possibility of having crushed Law didn't cross their minds as they proceeded with embracing him.

"O-Oi!" the muffled sound of the surgeon protested. The protest was followed by a humble laugh, nevertheless, despite himself.

Nami laughed alongside them as she watched the commotion in curiosity. He was definitely happy to be enveloped by his crew, it was as clear as day. Even he –the normally masked man- couldn't hide his pleasure at that point.

* * *

The uproar didn't cave in until everyone gathered on the deck to help themselves with Sanji's popular, most superbly made rice balls. Yes, perhaps he always called their ally a _shitty surgeon_ , but he very well knew welcoming him back from both an interior and exterior battle was a necessity. And he did so by preparing his much loved food.

Cups of sake clashed. Loud, disturbing burps impending from her captain filled the deck, followed by raucous laughs.

"Move it, bear!" yelled Luffy as he approached Bepo. "It's my turn to sit beside Torao!"

"Ehh?! You had him for long enough, it's not fair!" Bepo objected, glomping his captain from his side.

"Be quiet, both of you," Law alleged, helping himself with another plum-stuffed onigiri.

"Torao's _my_ nakama! Get lost!" her captain insisted.

"He's your _what_?!" the Heart Pirates yelled in protest.

"For the love of God, shut up!" snapped Nami.

"Haaai, _Nami-chan_ ~!" the Heart Pirates quieted down almost instantly at her words.

Law cocked his fine brow, a glint of interest dawdling in his eyes. He flashed Nami an impish smile.

"I see you've casted your effects on my crew, Nami-ya," he stated.

The navigator twirled her fork between her fingers, an intended bored hue forming in her eyes. "I may have."

"Took advantage of their silly quirk of loving women, hm?" he inquired.

"Captain!" they cried indignantly.

"How could I have possibly trusted a group of men I didn't know? Taking advantage of that _quirk_ of theirs was my best bet, wouldn't you agree?"

"Ah. Quite the charmer, then, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't know, since I've never charmed any man _other…_ than the type to love all women," she deciphered, taking a good, long swig of her sake.

Law's smile turned from mischievous to amused. "I wonder."

* * *

 _Things will be different once this hell is over, Nami-ya._

The navigator mulled over his words as she scrubbed the dinner dishes clean. Sanji hadn't gotten enough sleep the day before, and ended up crashing in the boys' dorm as soon as he finished cooking. So, she volunteered to take care of the clean-up, which gave her plenty of time to contemplate.

And she did exactly that.

Her mind wandered from one place to the next with questions, speculations, and most importantly, doubts. It would have been easy to blame it on stress, yet she very well knew that wasn't the case.

Nami's eyebrows lightly interlaced as she rubbed at a stubborn spot stuck at the bottom of a soup bowl. She set it aside, in the meantime, and grabbed the next dish. The kitchen clock struck midnight as she finally placed the last dinner plate in the dish rack.

She sighed in content as she slipped off her pink apron, haven put it on to prevent herself from getting wet. It had done the job quite nicely. She let loose her high bun and let the strands drape her dainty shoulders.

Nami winced at the sharp sound of the kitchen door as she pushed it open. The night air was cold, making her rub her bare arms in attempt to warm herself. Only then did she note someone tilting against the railings, so quiet she had scarcely noticed their presence. The small smile hanging from the surgeon's lips sent a frantic flood of butterflies into her stomach.

"Law," she said, steadily approaching him. "Not back in your submarine yet?"

The man remained silent, the smile on his face didn't waver.

Nami stopped three to four feet away from him, the smallest amount of curiosity in her eyes. "Earth to Law," she joked, waving her hands in front of his eyes, yet still not receiving any sign of reaction from him.

The navigator finally gave up her silly attempts, her arms limply dropping at her sides. His keen, gray eyes locked with her own. The smile on Law's face seemed to grow as he, without warning, unfolded his arms and closed the gap between them.

Tears flowed down Nami's cheeks. The surgeon's firm yet gentle arms enveloped her in an embrace so sincere she knew at once it wasn't a dream. He spoke softly into her ear, sending the ever familiar chill down her back.

His fingers entwined daintily with her thick, orange locks. "You rather confused me at dinner, Nami-ya. I thought for sure, by now…you would be aware of how much you've charmed me."


	8. Chapter 8

_Hi guys 8D!_

 _So, we've come to the last chapter. Thank you so much for all the support C: It's been INSANELY encouraging to me ;D!_

 _ **Replies** to Guest reviewers:_

 _AppleBloom: XD HAHAHA YEAH I SUPPOSE IT DID. And here you go 83! THANK YOU!_

 _Guest: AHHHH THANK YOU SO MUCH 8D! Aaaaand she did tell him about some of her past, but I think if she had added the parts of doing all those good things for the sake of her village would come off as a bit...arrogant in a way? So, unless someone else tells him, I guess he wouldn't know c:! But yes, they would definitely relate if that were the case! ANYWAY, THANK YOU AGAIN C:!_

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

It was the day of the Heart Pirates' departure. The radiating happiness and enthusiasm of Luffy made their farewell turn from sobbing and nose sniffling to joyful laughs. Bepo, Usopp and Chopper had developed an oddly strong bond and were the only ones with misty tears complimenting their smiling faces. For the entire morning that day, Luffy had forced his previous ally to wear his straw hat. Everyone could hear irritable comments impending from the surgeon, but it was clear his protests weren't as harsh or demanding as they could have been.

"Looks good on you, Capt! But we're sure as hell not letting Mugiwara steal you away again," declared Penguin, who was setting up the little bridge between the submarine's deck and the shore.

Law released a huff. "I wouldn't tolerate it."

"Heeey…" Luffy whined.

After what seemed like an everlasting hug between the members of the new trio, Bepo lumbered up the bridge and onto the submarine. With a sigh so heavy you would think he was departing from a funeral, he raised his paw and waved.

"Bye bye Chopper-san! Usopp!"

"Men, are you all on board?!" yelled Penguin, who was soon answered with a loud _Aye aye!_

The surgeon, before embarking along with his crew, took off the straw hat and shoved it atop Luffy's head.

"Oi, Torao. I don't care what those guys say, you're one of us!" Luffy affirmed.

Law smiled. "Whatever."

He trailed his eyes from one straw hat to another until they rested on Nami. He couldn't read her expression, but felt an obnoxious prick to his heart as he watched her lips curl into a forced smile. She raised her hand and regarded him with a single wave.

He took a cautious step forward but was quickly stopped by his nakama's calls.

"Hurry up, Capt! We wanna sail before it gets dark!"

"Ah," Law replied and turned around to board the submarine.

* * *

What had she been expecting?

They were in the New World. The second half of the grand line, where danger lurks at every corner and wild, unpredictable weather ensues at the most unexpected times.

She knew from the very beginning they were to be separated. And, after he departed, things were acceptable for a while. She carried on life with her nakama, whilst drawing maps and ensuring their safety by watching out for the weather.

But slowly she noticed him take complete residence in her mind once more, as it seemed like he was all she ever thought about. It was beginning to be of great frustration.

It had been nearly three weeks since they left Zou, and were soon to be arriving at the next island.

…

"Ne, Zoro," Luffy mumbled, bouncing back on forth on his feet as he watched his nakama train. "Something's wrong with Nami."

"Huh? Nami?" Zoro replied, a curious eyebrow raised. Luffy nodded, the slightest hint of a pout pruning on his lips. The swordsman caught the hint and set down his weights, grabbing the towel hanging on one of the benches. He then settled by his captain and put his head back.

"I think she's been down ever since Torao left. Maybe they became best friends or something!" Luffy stated.

There was no argument; the swordsman was impressed with how observing his captain was being. Not even Robin had mentioned anything of the sort, and she was the most watchful of the crew. With a thoughtful sigh, Zoro put his towel down.

"Now that you mention it, she and that warlord did seem…" his voice trailed off as he wasn't sure how to portray it, "Point is, if that's the case, there's only one way to solve it."

Luffy's ears perked up. "Get Torao back!"

* * *

The navigator couldn't for the life of her focus on sketching the outline of her map.

Her glasses, which in normal circumstances were very delicately handled, had been thrown onto her desk in a rough manner. Crumpled papers were scattered around the room; ink was spilled on her recently washed pair of jeans. The very rare time of quiet she was allowed to have, she wasn't able to make any progress in. Nami slid down in her chair and rested her head on the desk. She was withdrawn in her thoughts, the image of the surgeon lingering in her mind.

The door of the library slowly creaked open, making Nami suppress herself in a more reserved posture.

"Didn't I tell you I wanted some time alone?" she tried to sound irritable to whoever had come in, but her voice cracked in the process, exposing her true feelings.

Gradually, someone approached her from behind. The navigator hid her face in her arms.

"Get lost," she mumbled, loud enough for them to get the idea but low enough for her voice not to break again.

Nami felt a flutter make its way through her body as she sensed a strong, yet gentle hand lightly brush against her cheek. A familiar scent wafted through the air.

"I'm not going anywhere, Nami-ya," the surgeon informed her quietly.

The navigator whirled around, knocking over pens and several papers in the act. She felt an overcoming joy wing its way into her heart as she took in the gentle smile on Law's face. With a vociferous laugh, the navigator jumped off her chair and glomped him.

"Nami-" Law began as he lost his balance, his back slamming into the floor.

In the meantime, the navigator had completely taken over him, not giving him a chance to escape her embrace. He surrendered, feeling his hat slip off his head. With a crooked smile, the surgeon put his hand on her head and gently caressed her now rumpled hair.

"There's no need to cry," he whispered, sensing her uneven breathing and quiet sniffles.

Nami pushed herself off his chest and looked him in the eye. Playfully, she gave his ear a pull, the slightest hint of a smile on her face. "Hi."

His eyes softened as he took in all the navigator's features, silently thinking how lucky he was that she had been the one he lost his heart to, though he had yet to fathom how she came to grow such feelings for a man like him. He brought his hand to the back of her head and, though hesitantly at first, gently guided her face closer to his.

"Nami! There's a weird cloud Usopp and I noticed, I think you should-" the voice of Chopper rang as he opened the door of the map room, immediately pausing as he took in the position of the two before him.

His pupils grew to be as round as a full moon.

"N-N-Nami?!" he stuttered, unable to move as his hooves were stuck to the ground from shock. Nami's face burst into a deep scarlet hue as she watched the little reindeer's innocence burn to ashes.

"Haha, Chopper…" Nami faltered. "You see, we were just-"

"What's going on in here?" a gruff voice came next.

Zoro appeared by the door and, though not as petrified as the little doctor, was still a bit taken aback by the scene in front of him.

"Uh… Chopper," he said, nudging his fellow nakama. "Is that Luffy I hear calling you?"

"E-Eh? Really?" Chopper said, gradually recovering from the shock before dashing out of the room to answer the 'call' of his captain. Zoro gave Law a peculiar look before turning to Nami, whose face was as red as his captain's vest.

"There's a lock to the fucking door, you realize that?" he finally said as he stepped out of the room and slammed the door shut.

Nami winced.

Carefully, she slid off Law's chest and plunked on the hardwood floor. The surgeon sat up, rubbing the back of his sore head.

"How'd you manage to get back?"

"I won't be staying for long, but a certain rubber boy gave me a call," he explained. "Because it appears that _someone_ was a bit at loss without me."

The navigator released a scornful laugh. His words always had an obnoxious effect on her, and this time it was no exception.

Slowly, though, a realization dawned on her.

"You were on your way to Wano kingdom, weren't you?" she asked. "Isn't that a little too far for you to have arrived so quickly?"

Law's eye twitched as he rested his back against the wall. "The submarine made it easy."

"Ah. Or was it perhaps…" she inquired, bringing her face closer to his, "because you were already on your way back?"

The sounds of Chopper's childish giggles, Sanji and Zoro's snippy voices, Brook's joyful laugh, Luffy's deafening yells of _meat_ emitted from the deck.

But all of it sounded so far, so distant as Nami sat only inches away from the surgeon. The map room suddenly turned completely quiet; all she could hear was the intense beating of her heart and the gentle, even breaths of Law.

"Nonsense, Nami-ya," he whispered, his eyes not leaving her.

Only then did the navigator note how close she had gotten to him, and immediately backed off. With an unnerved laugh, she gave her bangs a light swipe. "So, everyone else is here too, right? I should probably go say h-"

Law seized her by the arm and, yanking her towards him, locked his lips with hers.

Shock waves pulsated through her body as he wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Nami, slowly feeling herself relax to his touch, returned the kiss.

"Ne, captain, we should head back!" Penguin's voice sounded from behind the map room door.

They parted from each other, Nami growing a panicked look while an irked expression settled on Law's face. The corners of his lips soon curved into a sly smile, however, as he held out his hand and whispered, " _Room_."

The two were not-so-gracefully teleported to the closest room, which happened to be the kitchen. It was empty, much to their luck, and there was no sign of Law's crewmates.

They got off the floor and dusted themselves clean.

An idea sparked in the navigator's mind.

"Ne, Law," she said, having a little trouble looking him straight in the eye without turning flushed. "Can I borrow your hat?"

He gave her an inquisitive glance but handed her his hat anyway.

"I'll be _right_ back!"

She quickly grabbed the key to the kitchen, which the cook had hung by the door, and walked out. Before anyone had the time to notice her on the deck, she locked the door and shoved the key in her pants pocket.

"Ahh, Penguin!" she exclaimed, approaching the surgeon's nakama. "You're still here?"

Penguin frowned, looking back and forth between the navigator and the kitchen. "Weren't you in the map room?"

"Hmm? I was, until Law left to the submarine," she replied innocently and revealed his hat. "But he forgot his hat so; return it for me, will you?"

"Eh…? He went back?" Penguin inquired, a bit puzzled.

"He told me he was tired and wanted to rest, so he went back before everyone else," she explained sadly.

Penguin accepted the hat. "Well okay. Seeya, Nami-chan! Hope you two had a good reunion!"

Nami gave him an exaggerated wave. "We sure did! Have a safe trip back!"

The navigator kept her cautious eye on the submarine until it disappeared without a trace underwater. Only then did her relaxed demeanor melt away and she ran towards the helm.

"Franky, get us out of here in a coup de burst!" she ordered. He turned to her in confusion.

"Why, Nami-sis? I don't see any storm approaching-"

"JUST DO IT, FRANKY!"

With a surrendered shrug, the shipwright pulled the lever and yelled, "Everyone, brace yourself!"

Once the Sunny slowed down and things had settled, Nami finally relaxed. Soon, the surgeon appeared on the deck, having used his ability to get him out of the kitchen. He raised his fine brow at the navigator.

"I assume you did something you didn't want me to witness, Nami-ya," he remarked, gesturing to the locked kitchen door. He gave his surroundings a quick scan as finally, awareness hit him.

With a victorious grin, Nami slipped her hand in the surgeon's.

"Sorry, Law!" she beamed, "You'll be staying with us for a while."

END


End file.
